According to multiple media reports, on Friday (June 21) local time, tech giant Apple warned that the company will not launch previously announced artificial intelligence (AI) features in the European Union.
Apple wrote in a statement to the media that it is unable to release its personal intelligence system "Apple Intelligence", "iPhone Mirror" on Mac, and "SharePlay Screen Sharing" feature during FaceTime calls to EU users this year.
According to media sources, Apple blames the EU's antitrust law, the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple believes that DMA forces it to reduce the security of its products and services, bringing "uncertainty" to the company.
"Specifically, we are concerned that the interoperability requirements of DMA may force us to compromise the integrity of our products in a way that endangers user privacy and data security."
"We are still working with the European Commission to find a solution that allows us to provide these features to EU customers without compromising their safety."
Two weeks ago, Apple revealed its new progress in artificial intelligence at the annual World Developers Conference (WWDC), including building a partnership with OpenAI, launching the "Apple Intelligence" suite that prioritizes top push, summary text, and image generation, as well as the more powerful Siri.
Since the beginning of the month, Apple's stock price has risen by over 9%, once surpassing Microsoft to become the world's most valuable listed company. This reflects the recognition of Apple's AI vision in the financial market, and Wall Street analysts also believe that AI features may be beneficial for Apple users to switch phones.
While Apple's stock price has surged, there are reports that EU regulatory agencies will accuse Apple of violating DMA rules in the coming weeks.
According to insiders, the EU investigation has confirmed that Apple has failed to fulfill the discount of allowing developers to guide users outside the App Store. In addition to not meeting the requirements of the DMA open app store ecosystem, Apple's newly launched "core technology usage fees" have also raised regulatory concerns.
EU spokesperson Thomas Regnier's latest response stated, "The EU is an attractive market with 450 million potential users and has always been open to companies that want to provide services in the internal European market. As long as they comply with our fair competition rules, the EU welcomes these companies to provide services in Europe."
Analysis suggests that for Apple, the launch of AI features is crucial for device replacement needs and even company performance. On the other hand, if Apple does not ultimately launch an AI system in the European Union, it will also be a huge loss for consumers in the region.
Apple's latest decision may reflect that the conflict between this US technology giant and EU law enforcement agencies has reached an irreconcilable level. In March this year, the European Union fined Apple 1.84 billion euros for abusing its dominant position in the music streaming application distribution market.